Amy Myers Jaffe, Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, discusses the Gulf carbon-zero commitments; Egypt’s renewable energy ambitions; the geopolitics of hydrogen; the prospects for LNG markets; Iran, Russia and global oil prices; China’s role in the Middle East; and the prospects for nuclear power. Gulf rethinks climate diplomacy - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East Egypt hands over solar power plant to Uganda amid Nile dam crisi...
Feb 07, 2022•28 min•Ep. 92
As US led diplomacy fails to de-escalate tensions with Russia over Ukraine, Turkey with its drones and unequivocal support for Ukraine's territorial integrity is seen as a solid ally. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Feb 01, 2022•31 min•Ep. 91
HE Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi , Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, discusses Sultan Haitham’s Vision 2040; regional security and diplomacy including Iran, Yemen, Syria, the Abraham Accords, and GCC reconciliation; and the resilience of Omanis in dealing with COVID 19, and Cyclone Shaheen. Middle East economic outlook hinges on vaccinations - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East Sultan Qaboos’ environmental legacy hits economic roadblock in Oman - Al-Monitor: The ...
Jan 26, 2022•38 min•Ep. 90
Janine di Giovanni, award winning journalist and Senior Fellow and Professor at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, discusses her book, The Vanishing: Faith Loss and the Twilight of Christianity in the Land of the Prophets , her own journey of faith as a journalist covering conflict in the Middle East, and the resilience of Christian communities throughout the region. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/01/last-christian-idlib-recalls-his-community https://ed...
Jan 17, 2022•37 min•Ep. 89
Bijan Khajehpour, managing partner at Eurasian Nexus Partners and Al-Monitor columnist, explains how Iran’s economic potential, and the prospects for foreign investment, depend on sanctions relief which would result from a nuclear deal; Raisi’s progress on COVID vaccinations; Iran’s relationships with Russia and China; and an update on Siamak Namazi, unjustly detained six years in Iran. https://amwaj.media/article/budget-1401 https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/how-feasible-raisis-econo...
Jan 12, 2022•35 min•Ep. 88
The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq has sealed a critical border crossing to the US protected and Kurdish governed zone in northeast Syria over a violent clash between a Syrian Kurdish youth organization and Iraqi Kurdish border forces. The closure has interrupted the flow of aid to the region as northeast Syria grapples with the effects of US sanctions against the Syrian regime, and of the COVID 19 pandemic not mention its worst drought in decades Analyst Hiwa Osman explains what is at st...
Jan 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 87
Libya was supposed to hold elections on December 24 that were meant to help the war wracked North African nation move on the path of stability and national reconciliation. But continued rivalries between numerous factions exacerbated by foreign meddling forced a cancellation. North Africa expert Jalel Harchaoui describes what's at stake. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 28, 2021•28 min•Ep. 86
Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East North Africa programme at Chatham House, assesses the Iranian nuclear talks, including the roles of Russia, China, and Israel; Iran’s long game in Iraq and Yemen; the prospects for regional security in the Gulf; how Iran is managing the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 20, 2021•34 min•Ep. 85
Gilles Kepel, who accompanied Macron to the Gulf, explains the impact of the French President’s visit to the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, including his meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and other Gulf leaders; the background to the $18 billion sale of French warplanes to the UAE; how the region is adapting to the Abraham Accords, economic and energy transitions, and the threat from Iran; why the Qatari mood is triumphant following the lifting the embargo; why t...
Dec 13, 2021•34 min•Ep. 84
Turkey is undergoing one of the most unpredictable periods in its modern history amid mounting concern over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's shift towards authoritarianism. His poll ratings are sagging with rising inflation and the continued depreciation of the lira stemming from Erdogan's insistence on keeping interest rates low. With elections due in 2023, many wonder whether Erdogan, fearing that he may lose, will allow them to take place at all. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...
Dec 08, 2021•23 min•Ep. 83
Michael Kofman, director of the CNA Russia research program, explains how Russia approaches the Iran nuclear talks; why Moscow considers Syria a remarkable and cheap success; whether Turkey and Russia can manage differences in Ukraine and elsewhere; and why Belarus and Ukraine remain key flashpoints in US-Russia relations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Nov 30, 2021•37 min•Ep. 82
Amberin Zaman, senior correspondent for Al-Monitor, discusses her reporting from northeastern Syria, including the devastating effect of the worst drought in seven decades; why SDF leader Mazloum Kobane doesn’t expect a Turkish attack, but is disappointed by US policy on Syria; how increasing tensions between Turkey and Russia over Ukraine could impact Syria; the tragedy of Syria’s camels; and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
Nov 24, 2021•35 min•Ep. 81
Jim Jeffrey former US ambassador to Turkey and Iraq and the Trump Administration’s top Syria envoy has been sharply criticized for his alleged role in greenlighting Turkey’s 2019 invasion of northeast Syria which displaced hundreds of thousands of people and led to horrific rights abuses by Turkish backed opposition rebels. Jeffrey has unique insight into Ankara’s thinking and whether one agrees with him or not, he is a seasoned and knowledgeable professional. Jeffrey does not believe that Turke...
Nov 18, 2021•29 min•Ep. 80
Noor Sweid, General Partner at Global Ventures, discusses how the Middle East and North Africa region has become a global tech and innovation hub; why a young MENA population will continue to drive and demand change, including for clean energy technologies; how MENA benefits and learns from trends in the Global South, Asia and the West ; and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Nov 09, 2021•22 min•Ep. 79
Al-Monitor columnist Ben Caspit explains why the Israeli budget vote this week; whether Netanyahu still has a chance at a comeback; why another Gaza war is a matter of when, not if; and why Israeli leaders are worried and disappointed by the US approach to Iran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Nov 05, 2021•24 min•Ep. 77
Al-Monitor columnist Daoud Kuttab says that Jerusalem and settlements remain the big issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; why Hamas is gaining in popularity; how Palestinian President Mahmoud is managed the consequences of the Abraham Accords and thinking about his legacy and succession; and why we may see more Palestinian protests in the coming year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-i...
Oct 26, 2021•31 min•Ep. 76
US Turkish relations remain on life support with Turkey's refusal to relinquish Russian made S 400 missiles. Turkey could face further US sanctions if Turkish president Erdogan acts on his talk about buying more Russian equipment. Turkey analyst Alan Makovsky believes this could lead to final rupture between Turkey and the NATO alliance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Oct 21, 2021•39 min•Ep. 75
Kenneth Pollack, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses Iraq’s elections, the prospects for an agreement on an Iranian nuclear deal, and why cyber may be part of Israel’s ‘Plan B’ for Iran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Oct 13, 2021•40 min•Ep. 74
Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group, discusses why the Iran nuclear talks could remain in ‘suspended animation;’ why some Iranian leaders may prefer to stick with the ‘resistance economy’ rather than pursue sanctions relief under a new nuclear deal; why the window for goodwill gestures to shake up the nuclear talks may have passed; and the prospects for release of Iranian-American detainees in Iran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and ...
Oct 07, 2021•45 min•Ep. 73
As the Biden administration vows to put an end to America's "endless wars," the United States' military campaign against the Islamic State in Syria stands out as a rare success. Several hundred US Special Operations Forces remain in northeast Syria where they are partnered with the Syria Kurds who played a critical role in defeating the jihadis. But the fallout in diplomatic terms with NATO ally Turkey has been huge. Aaron Stein, Director for Research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a ...
Sep 30, 2021•32 min•Ep. 72
Wall Street Journal National Security Reporter Vivian Salama discusses what to expect at the UN this week, including the impact of the US-France diplomatic dispute on the Middle East; why an Iran nuclear deal remains elusive; the state of UN diplomacy in Yemen, Syria and Libya; and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 20, 2021•44 min•Ep. 71
Professor Gilles Kepel of Université Paris Sciences et Lettres , discusses his latest book, The Prophet and the Pandemic; why Saudi Arabia is shifting its center of gravity to the Red Sea; the symbolism and consequences of Erdogan’s re-Islamization of the Hagia Sophia; and how and why trends in North Africa reach the banileues of Europe. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 15, 2021•46 min•Ep. 70
The debacle unfolding in Afghanistan starting with the chaotic exit of US troops has reverberated across Iraq with many Iraqis wondering whether a similar future awaits them too. Will the United States pull out of Iraq under pressure from Iran and Iranian backed militias? Will parliamentary elections that are due to be held next month help fix the political paralysis and massive corruption that engulfs the country and how are Iraq’s Kurds coping with it all. Bilal Wahab, a senior fellow at the W...
Sep 08, 2021•27 min•Ep. 69
Turkey helped its Turkic Muslim ally Azerbaijan defeat Armenia in a short and bloody war over the mainly Armenian enclave of Nagorno Karabakh last fall. A Russian brokered peace remains in place and now Turkey says it is ready to reopen its sealed borders and establish diplomatic relations with Armenia . Armenia says it too is ready to normalize ties with Turkey. Given the tragic history, the 1915 genocide of more than a million Armenians by Ottoman forces, and the recent spate of bloodshed...
Aug 30, 2021•30 min•Ep. 68
Stephanie Williams, the former acting UN Envoy to Libya, explains the background and prospects for the UN-mediated political transition in Libya; the roles of the US, Turkey, and Russia in the diplomatic process; whether Gen Khalifa Hiftar is strengthened by the unity agreement; and the prospects for elections in December 2021. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 23, 2021•37 min•Ep. 67
Al-Monitor columnist Shelly Kittleson shares observations from her reporting in Afghanistan and Iraq, including the Taliban’s relations with Iran and ISIS; what the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan might mean for ISIS in Iraq; her experiences as a woman journalist covering conflict; and her advice for journalists starting a career in international reporting. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-m...
Aug 18, 2021•38 min•Ep. 66
Tunisia has long been touted as the sole success story to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings. However last month the country’s president sacked the prime minister and suspended the parliament in a move that’s been largely welcomed by a public fed up with a decade of unresolved corruption and poor management. So what lies next? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 09, 2021•36 min•Ep. 65
Stephen Kalin, Wall Street Journal correspondent based in Riyadh, describes the scope of social, economic, and political change in Saudi Arabia; the prospects for diplomacy with Iran and an end to the Yemen war; the impact of COVID-19 on the Saudi economy; the outlook for Saudi energy policy; US-Saudi relations; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 02, 2021•50 min•Ep. 64
Samuel Ramani, a tutor at the University of Oxford and expert on Russia and Africa, explains why international mediation on the Nile Dam talks may continue to flounder; why the UAE has been an ‘exceptional actor’ in the GERD negotiations; the linkages between the Persian Gulf and Red Sea security; the relative interests and influence of the US, Russia and China in Africa; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://...
Jul 28, 2021•27 min•Ep. 63
Al-Monitor columnist Ali Hashem discusses why incoming Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi may not give priority to closing the nuclear deal; why Iran sees an opportunity in Afghanistan; the complex relationships among Iraqi militias and the Iranian government; whether Iran’s policies toward Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinians are likely to change; and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jul 19, 2021•38 min•Ep. 62
